A Friendship Never Broken
by J.A. Cruz
Summary: Noah Puckerman, Mike Chang, and Rachel Berry have been best friends since childhood, but with childhood, popularity and major life events there is always a true testament of friendships and life. What happens when life doesn't always go as it should? Puckleberry romance, Cherry, Rutherberry friendship. Things will be different from the show.
1. Chapter 1

_Two Years Old, January 15, 1997_

You know those types of friends who you meet really young because you live in the same neighborhood or you both share a common thing with your family and your parent's pair you up? That's what Noah Elijah Puckerman and Rachel Barbra Berry have. They were the only Jewish kids in their age group besides Jacob Bin Isreal, but even as a toddler he was a weird boy. Rachel and Noah met when they were two, the Berry's had just moved from New York where Rachel started her long years of training in the performance arts.

The first time the two met the Berry family was barely moving in and Ava, Noah's mother spotted them. She wasn't sure of them being Jewish, but as soon as she saw the family had a child her Noah's age, she rushed to get her boy and introduce the children. "Noah, darling, you'll have a new friend now!" Noah didn't pay any mind to the words of his mother as he played with his toy car. Singing from a small voice could be heard from inside the home, making Noah drop his car.

"Song," he whined, trying to get down to find the music. He kept whining, as most children do. His mother proceeded to knock on the door and welcome her new neighbors. A man opened the door, the music getting louder. "Song!" Noah pouted.

"Hello, I'm Ava Puckerman and this is my Noah, we noticed you were new to town and decided to introduce ourselves!" Ava told the man in front of her. The music was still going on, the voice singing sounded small and cute.

"Well, I'm Leroy Berry, my husband, Hiram, and daughter, Rachel is inside, practicing her favorite song, but feel free to come in. Rachel would love a new friend. We are just starting on dinner." He opened the door more widely to let them in.

Rachel ran up to the door. "Daddy, up!" she whined, pulling on his pant leg. Leroy picked up his little girl, tickling and making her giggle. She was a smart little girl, even at 2, but she was as any other two years old was. She looked at the two neighbor.

"Rachel, are you going to say hi?"

"Hi, I Rachel Barba Berry and I are 2." She had practiced since she was 18 months old to say that, even if she still had a problem pronouncing 'Barbra' She looked at the woman and boy at their door as her father let them in. The adults sent the kids to play, not realizing that soon these two would be best friends.

* * *

 _3 years later, 5 years old, August 20, 2000_

The two children were closer now than ever. At two, when they met, the two instantly were attached at the hip. They did everything together, well everything a 5-year-old can do...

"Noah! Hurry!" Rachel whined, pulling her best friend along to the big building in front of them. Both children were starting kindergarten and were in the same class. They were going through this new step together. She was excited while Noah dragged on whining.

"Rachie! I don't wanna go! I sleepy!" he whined softly, trying to dig his feet in the dirt, so the petite girl couldn't drag him into the new building. The only interaction the two children had with other kids was at JCC and all of them were a bit older than the two five-year-olds.

Rachel kept trying to drag her best friend into the elementary school, his strength even at 5 over powered her, making her fall on her butt in her brand new sun dress. She pouted softly, tears in her eyes. "Ouch!" she mumbled, sniffling a bit.

"Rach are you okay?" the tall boy asked, helping her up.

Rachel nodded softly, biting her lip softly. The tears brimmed in her eyes. "Fine!"

"Rachie, don't cry!" He took her hand as they walked in.

She walked with him, still a pout on her lips, but she did feel a bit better. She held his hand tightly. "Noah...? W-what if they don't like me?" she whispered, her eyes on her favorite person in the world. She didn't make friends well. All her teammates in her dance classes and her singing lessons hated her. She knew of the other kids in Lima, while they were friends with Noah she really didn't have any friends besides him, at least.

"Who cares? You're awesome..."

"Thanks, Noah!" Rachel smiled, that thousand watt smile and skipped along to the front door dragging a whining Noah along. The two were going to be known as the problem duo together.

That's exactly what they were when Dave Karofsky pushed Rachel off the swings at recess, Noah punched him, pushing him down. Arts and crafts day consisted of Rachel cutting the tied end of Santana Lopez's ponytail when he ruined the painting Noah did. They were protective of each other and always were around to protect the other from someone else. Rachel always wanted to be friends with Noah. She hoped she always would.

That was broken for Rachel on Noah's sixth birthday when she was the only girl at his party. "Noah?" Rachel commented, tilting her head. The other children at the party consisted of all the other boys in their class.

"Rachel! You came..."

"Of course I did, you're my best friend!" Rachel smiled brightly, playing with the left side of her pig tails. It was one of her nervous ticks when so many people were looking at her. Being a performer, she wanted everyone's approval.

"He can't be your best friend, he's a boy... You're a girl..." Finn stated matter of factly, his dopey-ness apparent even at age 5.

Rachel pouted. "I-I... Noah?" Rachel pouted confused as to why anyone would think that she and Noah couldn't be best friends when they had been friends since they were two.

"Yeah, Noah... You can't play with girls without being one." Dave Karofsky told the boy.

"That's not true, Dave!" Rachel claimed, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at Karofsky

"Just go away, Rachel..." Noah commented, not even looking at her.

"N-Noah?"

"Go play with your dolls or something Rach! I don't care!"

"No! I'm not letting you tell me we aren't friends! I know we are Noah! You just don't want to be isolated from the boys during play time at school." Rachel glared at the other boys at the table who ignored her. "I'm not losing my best friend!"


	2. Chapter 2

_Three Years Later, 8 years old, 2003_

Rachel Berry and Noah Puckerman remained friends despite Noah's 'No girls' phase, him joining peewee football and his dad leaving. Rachel was there through it all. She didn't let the boy push her away and ruin a 6-year friendship. Rachel was happy that she had a friend like Noah. Her friendship was innocent, fun and simple. The young children found themselves doing things together and promised they always would.

On the first day of 3rd grade, the two friends got their third. Mike Chang walked into the classroom, terrified as it was his first time moving to a new town and a new school. His family had just arrived that morning from Chicago. He was put into Noah's and Rachel's cluster. It was Rachel, Noah, Mike, and Matt Rutherford. He was another new student, a little quiet, but still very friendly. Rachel smiled at the boy. "Hi, I'm Rachel... This is Noah, but he's going through a phase and wants to be called Puck... A nickname from his last name Puckerman and the other boy is Matthew Rutherford!" Rachel rambled.

"Only she can call me Noah," Puck told the other boy, pouting. He didn't like the idea of Rachel calling him Noah now that he had his nickname. He wasn't going to let some new kid who was probably going to be ruin everything.

"Noah Elijah Puckerman! Be nice!" Rachel exclaimed, frowning. She looked over at Mike. "You'll have to excuse Noah, he isn't always fond of new people..."

"Not true!"

"Yes, it is!" Rachel glared at the boy and insisted her previous statement is true.

Noah didn't mind meeting new people, he liked the idea of making friends as long as they didn't hurt Rachel or tried to take her from him. Mike seemed like a great kid in Noah's eyes, someone he would be friends with.

Mike smiled softly, kind of worrisome at the two kids. "I'm Mike Chang... I moved here from Chicago." The boy told his new friends.

"Well Mike Chang from Chicago, do you want to stay in with me and Noah during recess? I mean you don't have to, most people like being outside, but I don't and Noah refuses to have any fun without me!"

"Rachel! Noah! While it is lovely the two of you are welcoming our new student, now is time for math, not a social hour!"

Rachel looked down, a blush on her cheeks as the others around them snicker and giggle. While Rachel was a performer, she didn't appreciate everyone staring and looking at her. She didn't like these people staring, knowing even though they were kids they had what they wanted to say about her.

Mike put a hand on Rachel's arm to comfort the flustered girl as they started learning. Rachel was quick to finish her math sheets and helped the boys with their work, explaining the problems and how she got her answers. She was growing comfortable with being friends with mostly boys.

Rachel and Noah, who was once just the two added Mike, making the three of them. They did everything together. They spent most weekends either at Noah's or Mike's considering Rachel's fathers were always gone. Rachel basically lived with Noah and she felt most comfortable when she was spending time with her two best friends. Rachel sat on a swing next to Noah, Mike pushing her. Noah's mother had taken the three to the park. She smiled kicking her feet.

"Can you believe it's summer already?!" Mike looked at the other two.

"Yeah? And?!" Noah scoffed. The three of them were inseparable, but Noah felt like he was losing Rachel to Mike. He was still heartbroken over his dad leaving just a year ago, and his mom having to focus on his little sister.

"My father's are going to be home and agreed to take us to the water park in Arkon! They even promised both of you were more than welcome to come with!" Rachel smiled at her best friends brightly, causing both of them to stop arguing.

"Rach, can you even swim?"

"No, but the water park has water slides that don't go into a deep pool or any pool!"

Puck shrugged and scoffed. "Until you get scared and get frozen in line like when we were 6 on the big slide?!"

"Puck!" Mike frowned at his best friend.

"I'm not going to be scared, Noah!"

"Yeah, you are! And I'm going to have to go up there and get ya!"

Rachel glared at him. She saw his tears and frowned. "N-Noah wh-what's wrong?!" She frowned, ready to help her best friend. They had always been there for each other. She hopped off the swing she was on and bit her lip. "Noah, you have to talk to me?!"

"My dad came back... He says he won't leave us again and mom believes him..." He whispered, knowing he wasn't supposed to be talking about it. His mom had said it was like a game. It would be a secret between only the family.

"Oh, Noah!" Rachel rushed to hug him.

Mike had that same worried frown and looked over at his friend. "I'm sure if he says it, everything will be fine right?" Mike was optimistic of the group. He needed to be. Someone would have to be optimistic when they were all apart or when one of them was hurt. With Rachel's dramatics, Puck's anger and passion for his friends, and Mike's optimism they were the perfect group of friends. All they needed now was the permanent joker.

Their jokster was Matt Rutherford. While he was generally a very quiet person, with them he was loud and kind of obnoxious, but Rachel loved the fact that he felt comfortable with them enough to be his normal funny self. Rachel bit her lip. "Why don't we go back and watch a movie? I-I We can make cookies or something?!"

"You're making cookies?" Mike asked, smiling. "Can we invite Matt? He's new and he's kind of our friend, but he feels left out sometimes!"

"Of course! Matthew is always welcome you know that!"


End file.
